Phil Lilley

Do what the agent does - "Do you understand "jail"?"

If I called the law every time I thought I saw a violation, I'd keep the agent's phone pretty busy. I chose to pick and chose violations. If I think he can get to the violator, catch him red handed, then I'll call. But if it's something that I know would be tough to prove or catch, then I won't waste his time. The culling question - I wouldn't call on. It's not that I don't AGREE with the law, I just wouldn't call. You better be sure the fish are short... I have made calls before when I was WRONG and the agent wasn't real happy with me. Not that I should have NOT called him, I just should have been SURE there was a violation before calling. If it's a trout in the trophy area and it looks to be close, I won't call. If it's clearly in the slot, I'll talk to the people and then call if they don't heed my warning.

That's a very good price!

I'm sure he was below the dam fishing for walleye. There are other places to fish from the bank but chances are he was up there throwing a big stick bait. Obviously he wasn't fishing for striper since he'd never caught one "in his life".

Went jig fishing this afternoon. Generation was perfect - kinda - they kept speedin' up and slowin' in down the whole time I was out there (1-4 pm). But the fish seemed not to mind. Started at the dam - cable - tried a white 1/8th oz and caught a few nice rainbows. Then switched to sculpin and never looked back. Probably caught 15 mainly up from the boat ramp. Then headed down where Linc was fly fishing at Lookout Island. He was wading on the lower/outside and catching quite a few rainbows on a midge/scud combo. I left him and drifted down the bluff bank but didn't do that well. Was heading in when I saw Jeff Alley fishing at Short Creek so stopped to see how he was doing. Ended up drifting down to the old Sun Valley Resort, bouncing back and forth between banks fishing my sculpin jig. They liked it too- boated may be 20 rainbows up to 15 inches. Had to get it close to the bottom.

Any wagers where it was caught? Upper Bull Shoals? Possible.

We give this out at the beginning of the week to our guests checking in so at least those boaters will read it. Too close - I've been as close as a few feet but that's going by at idle speed on the opposite side they're fishing.

The Corp's in a no-win situation. When they do something right, they don't get much credit. When their guesses are wrong, they catch it. Who can predict the weather? Flood 08 was something special. None of us will ever see anything like that again. When all the lakes fill up and it's spilling over the top, there's little control. Can't help anyone at that point. As for resorts and parks- they were mostly built after the lake was flooded. They knew the risks. Nothing has changed since the dams were built. Lakes are managed about the same. I do feel for the people that have businesses on BS but there's a reason I didn't look at buying anything down there. I didn't want to gamble.

Looks like you fit right in here. Table Rock is the most popular topic here - there's lots to share and lots to learn.

I grew up fishing with my grandfather on Texhoma. Trolling for sand bass and running trot lines. Thanks for signing up. Looking forward to your posts.

Glad you found us. Lots of anglers here fish the Finley so you'll find many friends.

Thanks for the report, JD. Got any pics of the big brown? I'm going to have to get you or your dad to take me down there someday. Sounds like my kind of fishing! I'll bring my jigs.

194 views and only 20 votes.

<p><img src="http://ozarkanglers.com/ice/stammer.jpg" width="530" height="200"></p> <p>Trout fishing on Lake Taneycomo should be a &quot;blast&quot; for the Fourth of July weekend. We've seen the Missouri Department of Conservation's stocking boat go by twice in the last couple of days, dumping rainbows out along the way. But even besides the freshly stocked trout, this last week's &quot;catching&quot; been good. Actually it's been good for the past couple of months.</p> <p>Generation patterns have been consistent in the last few days. The U.S. Corps of Army Engineers dumped a lot of water out of Beaver Lake last week, which brough tup the level of Table Rock and, thus, we saw more generation during the day and night. But it seems the corps has now brought the upper lakes to the targeted levels, and that means our pattern settles back to no generation at night and most of the day until late in afternoon and into the evening.</p> <p>To simplify: Two units are usually online at 3 p.m. and back off at 8 p.m. -- a pattern I hope will continue.</p> <p>As I've mentioned in my past report, our water is pretty clear for this time of year. Using light line is a must if you want to successfully catch our trout -- no larger than four-pound line and no funny colors like yellow or fluorescent green. Clear or moss green line work the best. Small weights with small hooks are the golden rule. If you're using night crawlers, use a #6 short-shanked bronze hook; if you're using Power Bait or eggs use a #8 hook. The best colors of Power Bait have been white, pink or orange -- and now yellow late this morning.</p> <p>With good catches comes the temptation of keeping more than the legal limit, which is four trout per day per trout permit, and eight in your possession (stored in your freezer or refrigerator.) We have two agents that do their job very well. A trip to Forsyth (our county seat) will cost you about $140, plus time from your vacation -- and embarrassment. We also have about a dozen fishing guides on the lake every day who all have cell phones and will report any violations they see. So stay within the law. Catching too many fish only robs the next person who happens along to fish your spot after you leave. Where the greed really adversely affects catching is off docks. One violator can litterally clean out an area of trout.</p> <p>When rainbows are freshly stocked, they tend to stay schooled up and close to the surface. They readily take shiny, flashy things that swim by like Cleos, rooster tails, Thomas and Crocodile spoons. They also will take small jigs fished under a float about four- to six- feet deep. Try trolling a jig -- it works! The nice thing about a jig is that it won't twist the line like a spoon or spinner. Use jigs in the colors white, brown, black, olive, pink or sculpin. Use 1/50 or lighter if fishing under a float and one-eighth ounce if trolling.</p> <p>I'm going to address one other problem area we are seeing on our lake lately -- common courtesy. Taneyomo is relatively a small, skinny lake and navigation is tricky. If you're in a bass or large deep boat, watch your wake. Literally look behind you and see what your wake is doing to other boats as you pass. If people are being thrown around, falling off their seats or even being thrown into the lake, you're probably throwing a big wake. Going slow doesn't mean you're boating safely. Some boats actually throw huge wakes when going slow. Idle speed is when your control level is placed in forward with no other propulsion. When boats are bunched up and you have to go through them, idle speed is the only save speed. Even if you pass 100 feet from another boat, your wake will hit them at the same level as if you were passing them at 10 feet. The law says you are responsible for what your wake does, regardless of your best intentions. Best to be aware of how your boat preforms when move through the water and be nice to other boaters.</p> <p>When anchoring, find a spot off the channel. It's best not to anchor against the bank because a wake could pushed you up on the rocks. It's better to anchor out off the channel and throw your line into the channel. Now, if you anchor too close and your lines block the channel, don't be surprised when someone runs over your lines. I find you'll catch fish way off the channel and your fishing day will be less stressful if you anchor as far away from the channel as possible.</p> <p>If you see someone catching fish, don't run up by him and drop an anchor where he's fishing. If you're not catching fish, it's generally not the spot that's wrong but rather how you're fishing. It is extremely rude to crowd someone who's successfully reeling the fish in. You'll do much better if you ask that person about his technique, especially if he's a guide. Guides on this lake are amazingly generous with their advice as well as in sharing a lure or fly with someone.</p> <p>Above Fall Creek, or in the trophy area, fishing has been excellent. Best bet is using micro jigs under an indicator four- to five-feet deep with two-pound line. Best colors have been tan and olive. There are two sizes of micro jigs -- 1/125th- and 1/256th-ounce. The smaller size has been the best. We have an abundant supply of scuds, which replicate the bugs that live in the gravel bottoms. Trout love them --they are their prime food supply. So we use a #14 or #16 gray scud under an indicator and fish it on the bottom, again using light tippet.</p>

My girls were chickens at Stafford's years ago so I've seen his show many times. Expanding... maybe.

For those who have visited Branson for reasons other than fishing, please help me out with this poll. We would like to know what the most popular attraction is on the Branson strip, shows and restaurants excluded. Thanks!

Nice- most of that was on your GoPro, right? I need to play around with mine more. You were also using a small tripod or gorilla pod if I'm not mistaken. I think that's what it's called. You have an incredible bit of water to play on, Brian.

Brandon Beck from Vicksburg, MS caught this fat rainbow off the dock June 23rd, 2010. It was 21.5 inches long, 17 inch girth, and weighed 6 lbs.

Use #4 for the 1/16th oz and #2 for the 1/8th oz.

Between Bill and I, we're swamped. I've talked to Bill once this week on the phone which is unusual for us but that shows how busy we are. He's guiding almost every day, sometimes two half days. And if you haven't guided in 95 degree, humid weather before, it's very tough on an old man (Bill, not me). After this reunion this weekend, I'll be freed up - maybe I can get Bill on a free and fresh moment and we can do one.

I deleted my post - I had posted a link to the exxon home site and what they said they paid in US taxes but in searching further I found a mirage of articles talking about how they (exxon) moved money around and possibly avoided paying alot of taxes. I say possibly cause I don't think anyone knows for sure but everyone sure has an opinion one way or the other! It's not my fight so I'll stay out of it. Back to working on my high school reunion stuff.

These subjects and arguments are getting old. I'm going to be closing a lot of topics tonight, I think.

No. When the sun went down, all they caught were small gills. I told them to throw them back hooked- they'd catch a big bass or cat. They didn't do it.

Took some friends out last evening for a 90 minute trip. Put in at State Park and went directly to the cove to the north of the Branson Belle. 12-20 foot of water and dropped a piece of worm to the bottom and wham! Blue Gill City! We caught 25 biggun's plus a 15-inch spot and a 5 pound flathead. Broke off another cat. I was told to go to any cove where I've found goggleye's in May and that's what I did. Pea gravel bank, small cove off main lake.